


My Boyfriend’s Scarf

by defiersofthestars



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: #reylovalentines2021, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And a woman who found it calls him her boyfriend, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben Solo finds out he has a girlfriend, Ben Solo lost a scarf, F/M, Fic Exchange, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Kissing, Misunderstandings, Prompt Fic, Rey Needs A Hug (Star Wars), Reylo Valentines Exchange, Reylo Valentines Exchange 2021 (Star Wars), Valentine's Day Fic Exchange, from his grandmother, reylo valentines, reylo valentines fic exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:41:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29438439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/defiersofthestars/pseuds/defiersofthestars
Summary: Based on the prompt for the 2021 Reylo Valentine's Day Exchange:Ben has finally got up the nerve to ask Rey out. Just as he approaches, someone else swoops in and asks her out first. Ben thinks he's lost his chance but little does he know......that later, when Rey would find his lost scarf she would say it belonged to her boyfriend. Little does he know that she would say that to his grandmother who knitted that scarf. Now Padmé would like to know why Ben never told her about his beautiful girlfriend with a British accent and charming smile.(...and there's a Reylo happy ending on the horizon.)
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 26
Kudos: 145
Collections: Reylo Valentine’s 2021





	My Boyfriend’s Scarf

**Author's Note:**

  * For [no_big_deal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/no_big_deal/gifts).



> Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
> 
> It was my pleasure to participate in 2021 Reylo Valentine's Day Exchange. I've dreamed about turning one of my small ideas into a one-shot, and thank you @proporgo for inspiring me with your initiative :)
> 
> [](https://ibb.co/0Ysh0bZ)  
> 

_Present time_

Every Sunday afternoon, Ben Solo has tea with his grandmother Padmé. They started this tradition when he got into the university and moved to the dorm. Since then, nothing (whether it is drinks with his friends or watching a movie or work stuff) could have made him cancel this meeting or even move it. It is as natural a part of his life as waking up in the morning.

However, today their meeting takes an unexpected turn.

“Tell me, my dear,” his grandmother says when they both sit down at the round table and she pours his favorite strawberry tea into thin porcelain cups, “has something happened to the blue scarf that I knitted for you? I thought you liked my present, but you haven’t worn it for the last few weeks.”

Ben freezes. Kriff. He always knows that Padmé has a supernatural intuition. When he was a kid, playing cards with her during family meetings was painful, to say the least.

His grandmother is so petite compared to him, but Ben still doesn’t dare to look up at her and makes a confession staring at his cup.

“I-I lost it, grandma. I’m so sorry.”

For a moment, there is a ringing silence in the sky-blue sitting room; then it is broken by a short and absolutely unexpected answer.

“You're lying.”

Ben jerks his head up, deeply shocked and confused. Padmé shakes her head at him and leans back in her chair, smiling as if she knows some secret.

“No, I’m not!”

Padmé's next question almost makes him regret his honesty.

“When were you going to tell me you have a girlfriend?”

Ben chokes on his tea and sets the cup down on the saucer with a loud clatter. After clearing his throat, he manages:

“I beg your pardon?”

Padmé raises her eyebrows.

“You heard me perfectly.”

“But I don't have a girlfriend!”

This is true. Ben doesn't even remember the last time he went on a date. But his grandmother looks so disappointed as if all this time he has been hiding from her his wife and their three children. She reaches out to take her cup and hums before taking a sip. Ben stares at her, waiting for an explanation.

“Yesterday in a flower shop,” Padmé starts slowly, “I met a young woman in your scarf. I recognized its color and your monogram at one of its ends at first glance. When I asked her where she bought such a beautiful thing, she blushed and said that that scarf belonged to her boyfriend. So, Ben?”

Ben's jaw drops. This is crazy. This can’t be true. He is about to ask Padmé if she mistook that scarf, but he bites his tongue just in time.

“How did she look like?” he asks instead.

Padmé snorts before giving him an answer.

“Beautiful, if you ask me. Short brown hair, green eyes, a charming smile and nice freckles. A slight British accent. You know better, my dear!”

Oh yeah, he does. The moment Padmé mentions the accent, Ben knows exactly whom she’s talking about. He swallows, clenching his fist under the table and trying to compose his thundering heart.

“It's a misunderstanding, Grandma,” he says to Padmé, doing his best to sound purely surprised, and even manages a chuckle. “I’ve never been on a date with that woman. I have no idea why she said that to you.”

Padmé looks at him over the edge of her cup for a few seconds.

“Well, it seems to me that _she_ would not mind getting to know you better! Come on, Ben. I can see that you like her. You’re blushing like my favorite rose.”

“The tea is too hot,” Ben mutters to his cup, making her laugh.

“Then take a cookie and let it cool. And tell me what's going on between Armie and Rose. When is he going to propose?”

_Several weeks ago_

Before the communication agency Ben works at moved to a new office, he had used to go to lunch in one of the cafés near the Kanata business district, _Takodana_. There were several reasons for that: a constantly updated menu, generous portions at a reasonable price, and a calm atmosphere, a welcomed change to the loud laugh and swearing of his creative co-workers. Another reason that appeared a little later was a waitress, Rey.

Long story short, she seemed to be everything he has ever wanted.

She was nice and gentle, her chestnut hair made in triple buns, her nose dotted with freckles. She also had a wonderful ability to smile with just her eyes, dark green with bronze sparks. Ben knew that being amiable was a part of her job, and still, he couldn’t help but felt it personal. It was unclear when exactly they started chatting instead of just discussing meals, but the moment when his heart, as many people say online, _skipped a beat,_ was vivid in his memory. He was asking her about soups when he noticed a small tattoo on her wrist – a yellow lightsaber with a blue butterfly on its end.

“You like _Star Fighters_?” he asked her, interrupting himself. Rey blinked and then nodded with a shy smile.

“Yes, especially the final episode. The way they put butterflies in each scene with Echo and Kylo when they didn’t fight only to show them together in the flower field in the end…”

“Being surrounded by butterflies,” continued Ben.

“…that represented how they both have changed and embraced those changes was…magical”, Rey finished with a quiet sigh and a dreamy look. Ben knew that not all people thought it was a perfect ending for the action movie, but he thought otherwise. And he was very happy to see that he and Rey were on the same page.

“Yeah,” he breathed, and they both smiled at each other. A moment later, Rey shook her head and said:

“Sorry, back to your order. I would recommend you to try tomato soup and then a nut salad with goat cheese.”

“Last week you said that walnuts and hazelnuts are the best for the brain, so okay,” Ben said, just to see her smile at him again.

They exchanged opinions about coffee and pastries, movies and weather. It was just a couple of minutes per day, but Ben appreciated every moment she was standing there and shared a tiny piece of her world with him – her love for rain and hate of a cynical narrative, for example. Just a couple of minutes that made him feel enveloped in sunlight, warmed by soft rays, the world around bright and not as shitty as it always seemed to be.

Eventually he started to think about asking her out; he really did. But every time Rey was there and he was about to open his mouth, nasty fear squeezed his throat, bringing up all terrible memories from his past. Nobody had ever wanted him as more than a classmate or a friend. He had been left several times – just when he had thought _that_ was the moment when his loneliness would finally end. Sometimes he even thought he just wasn’t supposed to be loved in the way it happened to other people, because he was who he was.

When Rey took his order and disappeared behind the counter, he could only wonder, _what if_.

At the office, he looked at his friend Armie who had met Rose one day in a park and now grinned like a boy every time he remembered her; and Gwen Phasma who received huge bouquets of roses every week from her admirer from the next building; and the other co-workers who talked about their boyfriends and girlfriends so easily. And then his train of thoughts went back to Rey who was smart, funny, and so, so attractive…

Finally, he gave himself time till next week to work up the courage to ask THAT question and went to Coruscant with Armie to make sure that the press conference of their client during World Economic Forum would go well. On Monday, when he went to _Takodana_ a bit earlier, Rey was busy talking to a man by the counter. He sat down at his favorite table not so far from them and couldn’t help but noticed that her smile was _too_ bright, her excited eyes glued to the face of the man who told her about walking and a movie theater. (Ben’s table was close, so it was not his fault he overheard).

“…trust me, Peanut, it’s gonna be amazing! We will go through the streets and learn about every musician that lived in Theed – aaand after that I will buy you ice cream and we’ll go to the cinema. Your lovely Echo is on the screen again!”

“I know! This is what she deserves, right?”

“So,” the man took her hand, and that simple gesture made Ben’s stomach drop, “see you on Friday night?”

Rey chuckled, and _oh_ , he forgot how painful a sound like that could be. Especially if it was addressed to another man. He listened to her cheerful voice, squeezing the edges of a menu as if it could have made it quieter.

“Friday night, Finn. I can’t wait!”

Ben quickly lowered his head when she kissed the man’s cheek and pulled him in a hug. They looked like a couple – a happy couple that had cool plans for the end of the week and maybe for weekends too. Ben had spent so much time thinking about how to ask Rey out – and it had never occurred to him that she might _not_ be single? Kriff, he was so dumb…

But he was happy for Rey – as he always was for people who meant to him. Rey deserved to be loved. He told himself he was glad that she didn’t feel alone; she had someone to cook breakfast for, and someone who cooked for her; or maybe they went to a café and had some of kind of morning date, holding hands and looking in each other’s eyes, talking about everything or keeping silent, because sometimes people didn’t need words to understand each other…

“Hi! I didn’t see you here last week. How are you?” Rey’s voice asked him. That brought Ben back to reality, and he even managed a small smile when he looked up at her, as graceful and shining as always (or maybe Ben just hadn’t seen her for too long).

“Hi. Fine, thanks. I was out of the city,” Ben said, his voice even and calm, the exact opposite of what he felt burning inside him.

“Ah, I see. Have you seen a new movie with our Echo?” Rey intoned, having no idea that that might be the last thing he wanted to discuss.

“Not yet. Maybe later,” and, before she could go on, “Um…I’d like roasted pumpkin soup, please. That’s all.”

Despite him being polite, Rey frowned a little. She nodded at him before leaving, and Ben just sat there and wondered if he should better find another place for lunch, or maybe order it online like Armie. But he really liked _Takodana_ , with its soft music and glass pendant lights that help him relax after meetings and annoying bursts of laughter from the consumer practice department. And then Rey returned with a big bowl of deliciously smelled soup and a soft smile, so he decided that maybe he wouldn’t change anything – at least for a while. He had been there before, and his heart was still beating, right? He would be okay.

He didn’t tell himself he would find someone better than Rey.

*

“I’m going to miss this place,” Armie told him as they slowly made their way between brick buildings. Two weeks ago, Snoke had announced that _The First Order_ communication agency would move to another office, in the new, shining Supremacy skyscraper 5 miles away from the Kanata business district – and it felt like an act of providence to Ben. Far from Rey, to another place with new people around…

Today was their last day there.

“Yeah, me too,” replied Ben, hiding his nose in his blue woolen scarf. The morning was chilly.

“How about having a goodbye lunch? You, me, Gwen, maybe Datoo and Thanisson? Let’s go to your favorite _Takodana_. I should visit it at least once in three years,” chuckled Armie.

Ben shrugged. Despite the fact he would miss its cozy aesthetics, he wasn’t sure how to feel about Rey. He hadn’t seen her boyfriend Finn there since that day, but he remembered him each time he looked at her. Jealousy hadn’t made him angry or arrogant; quite the contrary, after blaming himself for being too nervous and weak and then slow (who knew when she had met Finn?), he just accepted the simple truth: _you should never hesitate when it comes to love._ They still chatted from time to time, and even if he felt stings of regret (he never called it pain), he tried to focus on positive things. Rey wasn’t single, but it didn’t make her less nice or smart for him. He was just her regular; it didn’t mean anything and could ended at any time. Like, right now.

He noticed her behind the counter as soon as they five entered _Takodana_. Ben hung his coat on a hook on the wall and joined his friends at the table by the window.

“Solo, you bastard! You found this perfect place in the depths of the business district and didn’t tell us?” Datoo told him, shaking his head in accusation.

“I didn’t want to ruin your relationship. Your girlfriend is a great cook, isn’t she?” asked Ben. Everybody laughed when Datoo grimaced at him.

Rey didn’t wait their table, so it was her co-worker Kaydel who took their orders. Ben caught her look from behind the counter and replied with a quick smile. Was it providence too?

They all were about to finish their meals when suddenly their phones started buzzing. Armie was first who read a new email and cursed.

“What’s that?” asked Ben, and Armie’s phone is being handed to him.

Snoke informed their team that _Pryde Industries_ had changed the deadline for all agencies to submit their tender presentations. Then he added that is why he would return from a business trip a week earlier than expected. Finally – and that made them all groan – he wanted to see the first draft of the presentation, especially ideas for the upcoming PR campaign, on his email tomorrow morning (not _three days_ later) to discuss it with them.

“Bloody hell, I’ve just finished the competitor analysis,” said Ben. “The reports for _Erso Construction_ blew my mind.”

“Have you seen its social media pages? They _suck_ ,” Phasma huffed. “It would take nothing short of a miracle to raise brand awareness.”

“Well, we have nearly 20 hours – soooo much time for miracles,” Armie said with mock happiness. “Oh, shit!”

Another notification informed them Snoke wanted a conference call in 15 minutes. Thanisson waved at Kaydel while the others hurried to grab their coats from hooks, cursing when something fell on the floor and quickly putting it back. Ben, his mind a chaos of images of vehicles and motor oil canisters, figures and charts, felt something close to despair when he left money for his order in the bill folder – that was his final goodbye to Rey, and the world around them was so fast, turbulent, loud with a blur of pure panic and an upcoming storm.

“Thank you so much, it was delicious,” Armie quickly told Kaydel, zipping his jacket. “Sorry, emergency at work!”

Then he pushed Ben forward and out of _Takodana_ and far from Rey who wasn’t behind the counter anymore. He forced himself to focus on the upcoming call and the concerned voices of his co-workers, and practically didn’t have time to think about anything but work for the next hours.

They locked themselves in the conference room, planning, arguing, cursing and scolding stupid slow laptops. When it was almost 2 a.m., the office guard told them to leave. With the laptops in their hands and piles of paper under their arms, they went to find a 24-hour café. From 2:30 to 6:00, they had been occupying several tables at McDonald’s, drinking coffee and eating whatever it was just to stay awake. When other people started to come for drinks and meals, they grabbed their things and went to find another place. By the time it was 10, they had visited 3 more cafés, the names of which they hadn’t even remembered, and 1 co-working space. Ben felt like he was trampled by a horde of angry hippos, his very mind aching, his eyes burning.

“If Snoke doesn’t like it,” Armie told Ben, his voice hoarse, his eyes red around the edges, “I’ll let you kill him.”

“I’m in!” groaned Phasma who didn’t look much better. The rest of their project team didn’t even bother to say something.

Ignoring the muffled laughs of their colleagues, they go to the conference room, barely glancing at the endless panorama of Theed spread out below their feet. The Supremacy skyscraper was very, very tall, Ben vaguely noticed. Right now, he didn’t care if they were going to work inside a volcano.

Snoke left several notes on the presentation but everything was better than Ben had expected. He wasn’t going to kill him, at least not today.

He barely remembered how he made it home after 5 p.m., balancing on the edge of consciousness, his head too heavy for his body, his mind too tired. He had been working for more than 5 years, and he had never had such disaster of a day. SLEEP was the only word that made sense to him.

Only when did he wake up next morning and start to get dressed to go to the office to unpack his stuff, did he notice he had lost his scarf.

_Present time_

So, according to Padmé, it was Rey who found his scarf. More importantly, she wears it. And the thing that makes his head spin and awakes a strange, fluttering feeling in his stomach is that she calls it _her boyfriend’s_ scarf. Doesn’t she have a boyfriend whose name is Finn? What does it all mean? Could there be another Rey with a British accent in Theed – or is it _his_ Rey whom he still remembers, a beautiful, amazing woman, a fan of _Star Fighters_ and period romances? Whom he lost even before he could call her _his_?

Rey is here. Ben sees her slender figure through the window of _Takodana_ where he arrived right after saying goodbye to his grandmother _._ He looks at the same triple buns, same warm smile and sees a living dream despite all his mixed feelings. He swallows, his palms sweaty even though the night is far from warm. Could she really wear his scarf? Could she remember him among many, many people who come to _Takodana_ every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Could she...

His hand tightly grips the doorknob, and Ben pushes the door open. He goes right to the counter where Rey is standing. He spares a glance for rows of rolls and exquisite desserts that could impress anyone who doesn’t build a gingerbread copy of Theed's royal palace with Padmé for every Christmas.

“Hi Ben!”

Rey looks at him with a surprised smile, her hands hidden behind her back. It’s not too warm in _Takodana_ , but he notices a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

“I haven't seen you around for a while,” she says.

Ben swallows, running his hand through his hair to help himself focus.

“Hi. Hmm, yes, we moved to another office,” he tells her, trying to sound casual and ignore the heavy beats of his heart. “You know, Rey, it seems to me that the last time I was here, I forgot my scarf. It’s blue, with a monogram.”

For a second, a look of horror flashed into Rey's beautiful eyes; she licks her lips, now looking surprised. Ben's stomach twists into tight knots, but he stands absolutely still, waiting for her answer, his nails digging into his palms.

"Y-yes, I think we found something like that..." Rey finally mutters before taking a step back. “Wait a second, I'll bring it.”

She turns around and disappears into the depths of the café. Ben sits down at the nearest free table, tapping his foot nervously, his hand squeezing his knee.

Rey returns a couple of minutes later – and there is definitely the scarf made by Padmé's hands in her grip.

“Is it yours?” she asks carefully.

Ben’s eyes widen. So, at least there is no another Rey. He raises his eyebrows and says, his voice trembling just a little.

“I think this is the scarf of your boyfriend, Rey.”

She gasps, taking a step back and pressing the scarf to her chest. Her voice is a shocked whisper:

“That woman...”

“Is my grandmother,” Ben interrupts her with a shrug, “who would like to know why I didn't tell her anything about my girlfriend.”

_And I would like to know **why** I ever have a girlfriend._

Ben feels confused and, to be honest, a bit angry. It all could look like a weird, cruel joke, but his gut tells him he’s missing something – and he expects Rey to help him sort it out.

She looks like she was scolded, and this makes his heart stutter. Her lips trembling, she blinks away tears and sits on the next chair with a deep sigh, looking at her hands in her lap. Her slim shoulders rise and fall as she breathes, and Ben is suddenly reminded how small Rey is compared to him. He feels a strange urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders but he doesn’t dare to touch her until she says something. She owes him an explanation.

“Ben, I'm so sorry. When I noticed that you forgot your scarf, you and your friends had already left. Since then, nobody has seen you here and I didn’t know where you work. All I knew was your name and that you love _Star Fighters,_ latte macchiato and cereal… and that you have a very cute scarf. I decided to keep it.”

Okay, this sounds logical. He never told her about his job, because this was the last thing he wants to think about during his lunch breaks).

“But why did you call it your boyfriend’s scarf?”

The harmonic sounds of relaxing music around them mingle with the hushed voices of other people, but all Ben hears is Rey’s low voice trembling with emotion.

“Because I like you. I like you very much but I was too scared to tell you about it. You’re so nice and smart… I thought that you definitely had a girlfriend. All my co-workers know about how I feel and called you my boyfriend. When your grandmother asked me about the scarf that was the first thing that came to my mind.”

Her lips twitch into an apologetic smile. Ben stares at her without blinking, feeling his mouth pop open. He doesn’t understand anything any more.

Rey’s eyes drop to his lips and then meet his gaze again.

“What do you mean?” he hears himself asking. “You-you have a boyfriend. Finn, right?”

Now Rey’s lips part too.

“What?!” she asks in surprise. “What makes you think that?”

“I saw you and him here. You talked about… something,” Ben says, waving his hand at the counter.

Rey frowns, trying to remember. Her eyes don’t leave his face, and he suddenly feels something in his chest soften. Just a little.

“Ben,” Rey finally says, shaking her head, “Finn is my friend, and he is head over heels in love with his co-worker Poe. We were going to test his new app for city tours. If you happen to be near particular buildings, you can read stories about famous people who lived in Theed.”

“Cool,” the PR manager inside Ben replies. He doesn’t say anything else, and Rey interprets his silence in her own way.

“Well… I'm glad we cleared the air. I’m sorry, Ben, I understand how creepy the whole situation looks. I shouldn’t have worn your scarf. Please take it and forgive me.”

She hands him the scarf but he doesn’t move, ignoring her gesture. All the doubts and fears that have plagued him for the past few hours disappear, consumed by a wave of relief and excitement that courses through his body. Ben runs his hand through his hair, trying to understand how both of them managed to waste so much time. He finds himself able to ask one question.

“So, you like me?”

He needs to hear it again – just to make sure he didn’t imagine her words. Rey looks up at him and nods, a kind of shy hope in her eyes. Ben feels knots in his stomach loosen and the corners of his lips pull up.

“Yes, I do.”

As a PR manager, Ben knows how much power one word can hold. But until now, a simple _yes_ has never made him think that heart could really jump out of his chest and land in her hands.

“Well, I think you could keep the scarf,” Ben says with a chuckle and explains, meeting her surprised look. “It belongs to your boyfriend, after all. What time do you get off today?”

Rey blinks.

“Are you…”

“I’m doing what I should have done when I first saw you. I'm asking you on a date, Rey. Would you…”

A wide, sparkling smile finally finds its way to her lips. One more _yes_ , beautiful in its simplicity, would be more than enough, but then Rey throws her arms around his neck and pushes her fingers into his hair. Surrounded by the smell of her fruit perfume, he automatically pulls her closer to him, and they both can’t hold back a sigh of relief. This is how it feels to be happy, and he lets this feeling overwhelm him. Because right now, he has Rey in his arms and she whispers _yes_ in his neck.

“Great. Because I like you too,” Ben replies, burying his face in her shoulder. He wouldn’t mind to hold her like that a little bit longer, but then someone behind them loudly clears their throat and Rey pulls back, her cheeks pink, her eyes shining. Over her shoulder, Ben sees Kaydel smiling at them, but then she points at the counter and at Rey, asking her to come back.

Rey’s green eyes meet his brown again.

“I should go. I will ask Kaydel if I could leave earlier.”

Ben watches her put the scarf on the table and leave and then absentmindedly runs his fingers through the soft blue wool, trying to calm his pounding heart, a smile playing on his lips. He doesn’t notice how time has passed, but suddenly Rey is standing in front of him, buttoning her gray coat.

“I'm ready.”

He stands up and, looking down at her, wraps the scarf around her neck. Rey blushes again, trying to hold back a smile.

“You don’t have to…”

"Rey," is all he says, and she falls silent, studying his face with affectionate curiosity.

Feeling the eyes of the other waitresses from behind the counter on his back, Ben slowly ties the scarf in a knot and checks if it covers her neck. For a moment, his fingers brush Rey's cheek, and she sucks in a soft breath. Ben wants to do it again but without prying eyes. He steps back and offers her his arm.

“Let’s go.”

Instead of tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow, Rey interlaces their fingers. Ben expects to be embarrassed but it feels so natural to hold her hand in his, as if he has done it countless times, perhaps in a past life.

Rey smiles at him.

“Yes.”

*

Padmé calls Ben on Monday morning.

“So, honey, did you find the woman in your scarf?”

Ben laughs, throwing his head back.

“Yes. Her name is Rey. And now this is _really_ the scarf of her boyfriend.”

His grandmother giggles.

“How wonderful!” she says with a smile in her voice. “I'm very happy for you both. Make sure to bring her to me this Sunday.”

“Don’t you think it’s too soon? We only had one proper date.”

“And something tells me that it was not the last,” intones Padmé. “Where did you go yesterday?”

Ben closes his eyes for a moment, a smile blooming on his lips.

“We just walked around the city.”

He loves his grandmother, but some things, too precious, too wonderful, he wants to keep to himself. Now he knows why people want some moments to last forever. He wouldn’t mind walking with Rey for much longer, laughing and arguing and drinking hot chocolate to go to find out if it’s better with cinnamon or not. He remembers how he told Rey she had whipped cream on her face, only to be able to touch the corner of her mouth with his thumb; how she kissed his cheek to make him take a selfie against the background of shining butterfly sculptures because he hates taking pictures of himself but with her everything seems much better – and, well, the butterflies were _blue_ ; how they were standing on the luxurious Jamillia Bridge over the River Solleu, and Rey said that she missed England but she found she likes Theed much more, looking right at him. How the thousands of lights of the bridge played on her soft hair and reflected in her deep, beautiful eyes; how her lashes fluttered over his cheek right before he kissed her, tasting chocolate and something that belongs only to Rey, his hands encircling her tiny waist; how she kissed him back, tangling her fingers in his hair to get closer, to never let him go. It was like a miracle, and her eyes and lips told him it was just the beginning.

“Oh, very nice,” Padmé says, and the sound of her voice brings him back from yesterday. “But I have to remind you that being sick together is not as romantic as you might think.”

“We're fine, Granny. Went to the café to have breakfast.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll leave you two alone. Say hi to Rey.”

Ben puts the phone back in his pocket and grabs two cups of coffee from the counter, thanking the barista with a nod.

“My grandma wants to meet you,” he informs Rey, sitting down across from her. Rey pushes the plate with panini aside and hides her face on her folded arms with a groan. Ben chuckles, stroking her chestnut curls. He hears her muffled voice asking:

“How am I going to look her in the eyes?”

“Like the girlfriend of her only grandson that wears his scarf,” Ben says. “I bought us time, but mind you, she will not rest until she meets you. Neither will my parents, I suspect.”

Rey slowly straightens her spine, rubbing her eyes and taking her cup of coffee. Ben takes her free hand, caressing her soft skin with his thumb. Rey needs some time to get used to the idea of meeting a real family, of having someone who really wants to know her. She didn’t tell Ben too much about her past, but it has become clear to him that her adoptive parents did everything to make her believe nobody would ever love her.

“Sometimes my family can look weird, but everything will be fine, sweetheart. I promise.”

He brings her hand to his lips and kisses her knuckles. The look Rey gives him fills his heart with aching warmth. She won’t be alone – as long as he can help it.

*

“Thank you, Mrs. Skywalker!”

Rey bends down to hug his grandmother, holding the pair of beige knitted mitts that Padmé gave her for Christmas in one hand.

“How many times have I told you to call me Padmé, Rey?” replies she. “Thank you for the tea collection.”

Rey steps back and laughs, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Ben smiles: she was so worried that Padmé wouldn't like it, and they spent the whole day in the mall to find this particular gift box. But Padmé liked her present, and so did Ben’s parents (that constellations comforter set was stunning), and Ben himself – who would mind sneakers from _Jar Jar Binks_ itself? He had given Rey a butterfly necklace this morning and was rewarded with a deep kiss that almost made him lock the door of their bedroom and stay there all day. Rey convinced him to wait till tomorrow when they would be alone in his apartment.

“Can I ask you to go and help Luke in the kitchen?” Padmé tells Rey. “He was going to bring milk but I’m afraid he might get lost.”

Rey nods with a chuckle and leaves the sitting room after sending Ben a beaming smile. Padmé knitted a new scarf for Ben, burgundy, with his monogram, and said that she really liked the idea of matching outfits.

“Another interesting fact, Ben,” his grandmother says when he presses a grateful kiss to her cheek, “is that previously you could refer to a married woman by her husband's full name. Perhaps I was right when I decided that Rey doesn’t need a new scarf?”

“Grandma!” Ben exclaims, his cheeks burning. He and Rey have been together for less than a year, and even though he can’t imagine his life without her, they never spoke of marriage.

“What? You love each other, everyone knows that,” says Padmé with a shrug. His mother and father just nod.

Rey and Luke return from the kitchen together, with milk, cookies and dishes. Ben’s uncle, who suddenly decided to retire from the college and become a farmer, tells her a story about porgs on the Ahch-To Island. This is what Ben meant when he said his family could look weird. But Rey laughs genuinely, setting the dishes on the table so casually as if she has spent Christmas with his family for many years.

Rey gives him a large chocolate cookie with a smile, and he smiles back. When he brings Padmé a cup of tea, she tugs at his sleeve and whispers in his ear:

“Let me know when you need the ring. Valentine’s Day is coming up soon.”

Ben looks back at Rey who laughs while talking to Leia, her fingers playing with her necklace, and realizes that he likes the idea of hearing that sound every day for the rest of his life.

Maybe he won't be waiting till February.


End file.
